Integrating Discrete Event Simulation with Real Controllers, An Early Phase Approach to Virtual Commissioning in Automotive Manufacturing

Abstract

Virtual commissioning is a continuously growing and developing area in the field of production, it helps companies stay competitive in the ever-growing sector of manufacturing. VC is a way to test logic control using computerized models even before they are commissioned onto the production line. This thesis aims at creating a comprehensive technical setup to test PLC Logic through Discrete Event Simulation (DES). A virtual model created with DES software is used to visualize and monitor the functioning of the PLC Logic. This thesis makes use of literature study and interviews with stakeholders to gather knowledge on the virtual commissioning framework, based on which the technical setup was built. An experimental phase was carried out to get a better understanding of all the tools and how to integrate them. The development phase involves using the knowledge gathered through literature study and the experimental phase to build a virtual model and connect it to a virtual PLC. Post-development, the interconnected setup was tested to check the reliability of the integration. As a result, a completely tested and validated setup was established to test PLC logic programs with virtual models. Conversely, the reusability and repeatability of the virtual model too are greatly increased due to the extended functions such as automated object generation and real-time visualization of the PLC logic.